Athletic Awards: The trophy shop behind Seattle’s largest trophy

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To say that South Lake Union has gone through some major changes over the years would be quite the understatement. And in the marathon that is surviving all the neighborhood’s construction and gentrification, one local business is clearly #winning.

WHAT: Athletic Awards, a trophy shop that opened its doors in Seattle in 1949 and moved to its iconic South Lake Union location in 1983.

THE STORY: Walk down Republican Street in South Lake Union, and you’ll do a double-take. Nestled between the tall, shiny, glass buildings of Amazonia sits a squat yellow building with a massive, gold-painted trophy perched on top.

Athletic Awards might seem out of place surrounded by SLU’s tech companies and swanky new restaurants. But Monty Holmes, the second-generation owner, says his new neighbors have been good for business.

Corporate awards — think the Ivar’s Clammy Award and the Starbucks Golden Bean — have long been a part of the shop’s repertoire, and more workers means more trophies.

QUOTABLE: “If I was to do business anywhere in the United States, I want to do it here,” Monty says.

FUN FACT: Monty had more than $200,000 worth of Dom Perignon Champagne in his shop for the 2014 Super Bowl (you know, that one time the Seahawks whooped the Denver Broncos). The bottles were there to be etched, though, not enjoyed.